N is for Nosebleeds
by DreamBrother
Summary: Summer Alphabet Challenge 2007. Preseries, Don 15, Charlie 10.


**Author:**DreamBrother

**Summary:**(Summer Alphabet Challenge 2007) Pre-series, Don 15, Charlie 10

**Disclaimer:**If you take me to court, I'll plead insanity. The proof of my psychoticness is in my fics, you won't win. Hah. But to save us time and trouble, Numb3rs isn't mine.

**Author's Note:**I want to do some major angst but my muse doesn't wish to comply. Evil muse. So I'll settle for childhood memories inspiring me. Brother #2 and I used to get nosebleeds all the time, usually spontaneous nosebleeds, not injury related. We used to compete too (what? We were bored). I won in terms of duration of each, Adam won in frequency. Oh well.

* * *

**N is for Nosebleeds**

It was a particularly hot summer day in June but the heat did nothing to deter Don Eppes or keep his spirits down as the teenager walked home after a very satisfying baseball game with his friends at the park, a spring in his step and whirling his baseball cap with one finger, he bounded up the steps to his childhood home and threw the door open, calling out:

"Mum, I'm home. Is it time for lunch yet?"

Pausing for a moment as silence greeted him; Don shrugged and made his way into the kitchen to see if there was anything to snack on before he would take a cold shower to cool off. However, all thoughts of refreshment were driven from his mind as he entered the kitchen only to see his baby brother standing in the middle of the kitchen holding a bloodied sleeve to his nose, whirling around to face Don with wide eyes, as though caught in the middle of committing a crime.

"Hey, buddy, what happened?" asked Don in concern as he quickly strode over to his brother, putting one hand on his brother's shoulder and using the other to pry Charlie's sleeve away from his nose to assess the damage. Without waiting for his brother to respond, he put his hands under his brother's arms and lifted him up to sit on the counter, Charlie now at eye level with Don. Reaching over, Don opened up a drawer and pulled out one of his Mum's cloth napkins and placed it over Charlie's nose. Satisfied, Don asked again:

"You want to tell me why your nose is bleeding, Charlie?"

"Mum's not going to be happy that you ruined one of her napkins," came the muffled reply, Charlie choosing not to answer his brother's question, surprised at the concern from a brother who kept his distance, had so for some time now.

"Big deal. You haven't answered my question," stated Don, eyeing his little brother when Charlie did nothing but shrug in response. "Was it Sam Titchell again? Did you get into another fight with him?"

"No, nothing like that," replied Charlie.

"Are you telling the truth?" asked Don, peering at his brother for a tell-tale sign of deception. Seemingly satisfied by the nod he received in reply, he queried, "Where's mum?"

"Gone to the store to pick up a few items for lunch,"

"Uh huh," said Don distractedly, pulling away the napkin to see if the bleeding had slowed. It had, but not enough to his liking, and he reapplied the pressure. Putting his other hand on top of Charlie's head, he tilted it back a little before asking, "Why is your head so warm? Did so much math that your brain shorted and your nose started bleeding?" joked Don.

Charlie's eyes widened in fear at this possible reason, "Is… Is that what happened? Is something wrong with my head? Am I-" stuttered Charlie.

Don quickly interrupted to ease his brother's panic, "Calm down, Charlie, I was only joking, nothing's wrong with your head. It's still all curly haired and filled with numbers," and seeing that he had his brother's attention again, he asked, "What were you doing when it started? And when did it start, exactly?"

"About a minute before you came. I was sitting outside, next to the Koi pond, I got a weird taste in my mouth and then blood started dripping onto the pages of my notebook," said Charlie.

"Charlie, it's really hot and sunny outside, did you even bother wearing a cap or something?" chided Don.

Charlie shook his head before meekly asking, "Am I going to die?"

Don had to work quickly to prevent himself from laughing at his brother's statement, knowing that Charlie had asked it in all seriousness. Biting down a smile, he replied, "Don't be an idiot, Chuck, nobody dies from a nosebleed. At least, nobody other than Attila the Hun, and trust me squirt, you aren't Attila the Hun."

"So why is my nose bleeding?"

"Probably for the same reason mine did when I was a kid. Either I was out in the sun too long or because I had too much chocolate. Or I got hit by a ball or something," added Don, not mentioning the few times he'd earned himself a nosebleed from fighting with a few classmates who commented on his little brother, calling him a 'freak'. "Hold this in place for a second," Don said, guiding his brother's hand to the napkin before turning away and pulling out an icepack from the freezer, one that had been bought mainly for his benefit, considering all the injuries he accumulated playing sports all the time.

"How come I didn't notice?" asked Charlie, jerking back as the ice pack was placed on top of his head but prevented from banging his head on the cabinet behind him by his brother's quick reflexes.

"You were a little kid Chuck. I haven't had a random nosebleed since I was…ten," said Don.

"You know, it's not really random, if I have the right variables and some data concerning when each of your nosebleeds took place I can predict-" began Charlie before being cut off by his brother.

"No need buddy, don't have them anymore. And neither will you if you remember to wear a hat or something if you're to lounge in the sun to get a tan," said Don. Before his brother could protest his intention for being out in the garden in the glare of the hot summer's day, Don reached over to where he had dropped his baseball cap and placed it firmly on Charlie's head, after removing the icepack, "There. Now don't let me see you outside without this on."

"But it's your lucky cap!" protested Charlie, surprised by his brother's kindness.

"Who needs a lucky cap when you've got a brother who can predict your performance just by the way you stand?" asked Don, removing the napkin and nodding in satisfaction to see that the bleeding had completely stopped. "Now, go upstairs and wash your face, change your shirt, I feel like some ice cream, maybe we can sneak out and find some before Mum gets back."

Charlie leapt off the counter but before he left the kitchen he quickly threw his arms around his brother's waist in a quick hug before disappearing upstairs before his brother could react.

Don stood, unmoving, for a few seconds trying to register what had exactly happened, and then turned around to toss the soiled napkin in the bin and going over to the sink to wash his hands.

"Clingy little twit," muttered Don, shaking his head but smiling in affection.

**Khatum (The End)**

**

* * *

**

3rd hug in 4 stories. I need help. Or rather, I need a hug. Do you like the hugs, though? Cause I can always work in a hug somewhere ;)

The bit about Attila the Hun dying from a nosebleed is true, and (inappropriately) very funny. Go look it up on Wikipedia. (RIP Attila, forgive me for laughing).

Excuse any typos or mistakes regarding nosebleeds, I only know what I remember from childhood. Hope you liked. Review, s'il vous plait. I shall now go in search of angst. I need my angst.


End file.
